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Chocolate Meringue Cookies

Makes 60 cookies

• Parchment paper (see note)
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, optional
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup finely chopped, toasted nuts, such as walnuts, pecans or almonds, optional

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe container, and microwave, uncovered on high, for 1 minute. Remove the chips from the oven and stir until they are completely melted. Set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar, if using, on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. With the mixer running on low speed, add the sugar slowly and mix it in. Raise the mixer speed to high. Continue to beat until the egg whites are stiff but not dry, about 1 minute more. Using a spoon or spatula, fold the melted chocolate and vanilla into the egg whites. Gently stir in the nuts, if using.

Spoon the mixture into a gallon-size zipper-top plastic bag. Use scissors to cut a small opening in one corner of the bag. Squirt the meringue onto the parchment paper in bite-size dollops about the size of a quarter. The cookies do not expand as they bake, so they can be placed close together. Place both baking sheets into the oven at the same time. Bake for 1 hour. Remove the cookies from the oven, and allow them to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Peel them off the parchment. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

Note: These cookies are too fragile to remove from a cookie sheet without parchment paper. Parchment paper is available at larger supermarkets and kitchen-equipment stores. Parchment paper makes a good baking-sheet liner for most all cookies. Use it and you don't have to wash the cookie sheet before baking a second batch.

Start to finish: 10 minutes preparation, plus 1 hour unattended baking time.

Per serving (2 cookies): 37 calories (48 percent from fat), 2 g fat (1 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 1 g protein, 4 g carbohydrates, trace amount dietary fiber, 6 mg sodium.

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